Another gem from this vintage is the 2020 Château Laforge. Offering loads of ripe black cherries, scorched earth, tobacco, and chocolate notes, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a pretty, seamless, elegant texture, and the remarkable purity of fruit that seems to be common in the vintage.

Blueberry, black tea and dark chocolate. It’s full and chewy, yet medium in the mid-palate. Nice balance.

The 2020 Laforge offers a compelling interplay of inky dark fruit and nervy, tense tannins. I imagine it will need a few years to unwind. Laforge is usually a more luscious and overt wine, but those qualities are a bit hidden in this barrel sample. Today, I very much like the energy here.

Oak, smoke, cherries, licorice and incense permeate the nose, while the medium-bodied palate kicks in with its soft, fresh display of plums, kirsch, espresso and licorice. Forward, polished and close to ready to drink on release, give it 2-4 years and it should be even better. 90-92

The 2020 Laforge is a blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc with an alcohol of 13.8% and pH of 3.69. The Merlot was picked from September 14th to September 17th and the Cabernet Franc on October 8th. The wine is being aged in French oak barrels, 80% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it hits the ground running with open-knit notes of ripe black plums, boysenberries and raspberry leaves, plus suggestions of pencil lead, menthol and fertile loam. The medium-bodied palate is delicate and refreshing, delivering soft tannins and just enough black fruits, finishing savory.
Drink Date
2024 - 2035
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

The 2020 Laforge has a clean, pure bouquet of dark cherries, bilberry and light incense aromas, becoming increasingly floral (lavender and violet) with aeration. The medium-bodied palates offers sappy black fruit, fine grip and acidity and a structured, minerally finish. If this retains the freshness it shows now, it should land at the top of my banded score. -vinous.com

92% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc. Cask sample.
Round and supple with some mid-palate sweetness. More fruit than stablemate Teyssier but a little monotone and lacking in lift. Dusty tannins and a dry finish. (JL)